­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Many thanks to TeddyBear 8P who was so very supportive these last few months!

The next morning, Remus heard before he saw. He heard nothing. No snoring, no bathwater running, no bouncing bedsprings. In short, Remus heard the absence of James Potter. "Uh oh."

Sirius rolled over in his nearby bed. "Mmmpf?"

"Did James come back last night?" Remus sat up and looked over at the vacant bed.

"Mmmpf."

"Pads. Did. James. Come. Back?"

Sirius hid head under the pillow. "Dunno!" A minute later there was a firm hand on his shoulder.

"If James did not come back, then James is missing," Remus reminded him.

That broke through the morning haze. "JAMES IS MISSING?" Sirius shot out of bed and grabbed only a cloak and his wand before tearing down the stairs.

"Sirius! Wait! It's after noon! He could be-" Remus stopped as he hit the end of the stairs, running directly into an immobile Sirius.

"Wha-" managed the other boy.

"Do you think she'll like it?" asked James, head scrunched into his shoulders like a turtle's. The common room appeared to have been replaced by a cross between a botanical garden and a cheap café. Flowers coated almost every flat surface – table, mantle, and floor. The strangest music appeared to be stemming from a cone and a spinning disc on one table while pink candles hung in the air. Worst of all, "Happy Almost Valentine's Day Lily Evans" was constantly rewriting itself in pink ribbon above the fireplace.

"I think she'll box-"

"What made you think of all this?" covered Remus.

James smiled and stretched out his neck slightly. "I did exactly what you said!"

"I… told you to cover the room in…"

"Gardenias," James supplied helpfully.

"Smells like the icky box," added Sirius.

"The icky what?"

"Nevermind," declared Remus. "What did you do and why?"

"And how do we get rid of all of it?" muttered Sirius.

"I found out what Lily likes!" he explained joyfully. "After a few punches, all the guys were really great about it!"

"You-" Recognition slowly dawned on the werewolf's face. "Kingsley. Edward. Allen."

"What?" demanded Sirius.

"Oh no. James."

"What?"

"Lily!" The two black haired boys turned as the redheaded girl appeared in the doorway.

"What…" Lily cleared her throat and tried again. "What did you do?!" Remus winced as he heard every door in the dormitory open.

James smiled again and spread his arms wide. "Happy Almost Val-"

"You complete and utter idiot!" she screamed.

"But… Lily… I…" James spluttered as faces began to appear around the edges of the doorways.

"Do not ever speak to me again!" With that, the redheaded girl turned and fled out the portrait hall.

"James," lamented Remus.